30 Aug Win a strand of freshwater pearls from Fireworks Gallery

Fireworks Gallery is giving away a strand of freshwater pearls to the first festival attendee who finds a pearl in an oyster. The finder can bring the pearl to the Fireworks Gallery tent on site at the festival to redeem their prize.

In 2016 we know of at least 2 pearls found. In 2015 we know of one pearl found by Nolan D’Eon from Eel Lake. He was going to keep it and make it into a necklace for Kim, his very kind wife. Probably a lot more were out there but they were swallowed down in the briny sweetness.

Now, pearls found in Nova Scotia oysters are the not the Mikimoto pearls of runway fashions. Small pearls found in the Crassostrea virginica, the kind of oysters we eat at the festival, are made when particles enter the shell. These found pearls are quite small and do not have a lot of value, other than they are fun to find. The pearl oyster is called a Pinctada a genus of saltwater oysters in the Pteriidae family. These oysters are able to produce the round, hard commercial pearls because they have a strong inner shell layer composed of nacre, or mother of pearl.

Fireworks Gallery is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Located in historic downtown Halifax, Fireworks is a full service jeweler, offering professional jewellery repair and restoration.